Sacramento Beer Week: Make it a double

Published 9:49 pm, Thursday, February 20, 2014

Photo: Sacramento CVB

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Sacramento Beer Week

Sacramento Beer Week

Photo: Sacramento CVB

Sacramento Beer Week: Make it a double

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Beer connoisseurs can expect a double dose of hoppy exploration during Sacramento Beer Week, which is bookended by two festivals. Starting with the Sacramento Brewers Showcase at the California Auto Museum, south of Old Sacramento, visitors can ogle more than 150 cars from 120 years of California history while tasting the products of more than 25 local breweries. The week winds up with the Capitol Beer Fest, with more than 100 craft breweries offering 300 varieties of lagers, ciders and ales. The festival goes open-air this year with its move to Capitol Mall and will have at least a dozen food trucks ready to serve.

-- Mendocino coast welcomes whales: The entire Mendocino coast gets into the act when 20,000 gray whales pass through on their way from Alaska to Mexico each year. The Mendocino Coast Whale Festivals mix wine, beer and chowder tasting with whale-watching walks, sea cave kayak tours, and art displays on three consecutive weekends in three towns. Saturday to next Sunday (Mendocino), March 8-9 (Little River), March 15-16 (Fort Bragg). (707) 961-6300, www.mendowhale.com.

-- Deep thoughts in Santa Cruz: TEDxSanta Cruz, following up its 2011 ("Engage") and 2012 ("Open") conferences with "Activate" at Hotel Paradox, will present more than a dozen speakers sharing ideas that led to game-changing experiences and projects. Topics include conservation, reform of the "three strikes" law, the health effects of human disconnectedness, urban design that brings people together, and enlightened technology engineering. March 8, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $75 general, $50 students; two admissions $125/$75. www.tedxsantacruz.org.